Round Barrow(s)

Miscellaneous

A chambered tumulus 60 paces in circumference and about 10ft. high made of local stone, situated at the northern extremity of Camerton Parish bordering on Farmborough Down at a place called Wall Mead, was opened by Skinner on January 16th, 1818.
Near the centre was a collapsed cist 3 1/2ft. square, judged to have been nearly 6ft. high, and containing a 7"-long bronze spearhead or dagger, a small unbaked clay vessel (with chevron and dot ornament), a round headed bronze pin, a perforated whetstone, and a cremation. The side walls continued for some
fifteen feet beyond the track of the chamber forming a passage, in which many pottery fragments were found, some apparently lathe-turned of Roman origin.
Outside the cist was a probable secondary inhumation burial. Fragments of baked and unbaked clay - some of the former of Roman appearance and two denarii of Julia Mammaea and Alexander Severus.

The remains of another barrow of similar dimensions situated 10 paces to the east of the first, was reported by Skinner to have been opened and robbed 60 years before, and the interments destroyed.

The barrow excavated by Skinner was re-excavated by Mr. W. J. Wedlake and the Bath and Camerton Arch. Soc. in 1964. The barrow, called Wallmead I, proved to be 67 feet in diameter and to have a revetment wall still standing to a height of up to 2 feet. Wedlake considers that the primary cremation was in a central rock cut pit, and refutes Skinner's chamber. In all other respects his excavation confirmed Skinner's results. The finds included many beaker fragments from the original turf line, traces of a primary cremation, bones from a secondary inhumation, five 2nd - 3rd centruy Roman coins, and Roman
pottery. The barrow is now marked by a low unsurveyable mound at ST 6756 5967.

Excavation continued in 1965 and the second barrow mentioned by Skinner, Wallmead II, was located. Although it had previously been levelled it was found to have a revetment wall still standing to a height of 2 feet. at the centre of the barrow was a large burned area surrounded by a stone kerb. Finds included a bronze dagger, a bead, and fragment of an Ogbourne cup very similar to that found by Skinner in Wallmead I(a). There is no surface indication of this barrow, which was at ST 6761 5966. A trial trench dug to the east of Wallmead II disclosed four cremation burials at ST 6763 5966. They were in cists. but had no associated barrow. Three of the burials were accompanied by food vessels and in the fourth the uncremated skull was placed over the ashes.
Iron age occupation is indicated by a single pit, at ST 6758 5971, containing E.I.A and Glastonbury ware. Excavation of this site is due to continue in 1966. (ST 67565966, ST 67625966) Tumuli (NR) (sites of) (NAT).